


Beyond the Wardrobe

by Kalira



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: 3 Sentence Ficathon, 3 Sentence Fiction, Age of Winter (Narnia), Battle, Family, Gen, Golden Age (Narnia), Grief/Mourning, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Justice, Post-Narnia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:47:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 1,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23028049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira
Summary: A collection of minifics from the Three Sentence Ficathon on Dreamwidth.
Relationships: Edmund Pevensie & Lucy Pevensie & Peter Pevensie & Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie & Susan Pevensie
Kudos: 15
Collections: Kalira's Three Sentence/Minifics





	1. Missing Queen

**Author's Note:**

> These were all written for one round or another of [](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**rthstewart**](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/)'s Three Sentence Ficathon, and all feature the Pevensies in one world or another. They have been lightly edited and some may be a bit expanded here.
> 
> (Three Sentence Ficathon 2018-19: [Part One](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/139838.html), [Part Two](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/142463.html). Three Sentence Ficathon 2020: [Part One](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/87903.html), [Part Two](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/142463.html).)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt [Any fandom, any character, searching for a trail to follow again (lyrics from Lord Huron’s “The Night We Met”)](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/139838.html?thread=5074238#cmt5074238).

"Have you found anything yet?" Peter asked, taking a knee to get closer to the Dogs that had been roving all about their small company to sniff out any sign of their missing Queen - their missing _sister_.

A chorus of sorrowful denials answered him, and Peter winced, though he assured them it was all right even as he immediately sent them back out to the search.

"You know Sue can look after herself," Edmund pointed out, shading his eyes and giving Rupert a pat, "she'll probably only be angry with us for interrupting her _plan_ if we find her too soon. Ah!" he gasped, ignoring his brother's irritated growl and throwing a hand up for one of his Crows as she dove.


	2. Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt [Narnia, Pevensies, _get together now/find hope/there is life beyond the one you already know_](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/139838.html?thread=5365822#cmt5365822).

It's Susan first who wakes with the tears of a life gone without trace; Lucy slips silently from her bed and pads across the room to her sister, wrapping her in an embrace so much smaller than she remembers, but still holding all the reassurance and affection she can manage.

Days later it is Edmund as well, though his tears are silent, his once-more small and awkward frame wracked with shudders; Lucy pulls Susan with her to his room, wrapping her small arms around them both and wishing she could shield her siblings with her own heart even as she chokes on longing for their lost home.

Another night Peter's arms suddenly join Lucy's, and she lifts her head in startlement to find a sad smile on her eldest brother's face as he hugs her just as tightly. Lucy smiles too, though tears still paint her cheeks; they are still together, and they have learned time and again that as long as this is so, they can face anything.


	3. Mundane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt [Narnia, Pevensies, _back before, back in our school days/you were wild-eyed, before the damage was done_](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/139838.html?thread=5629502#cmt5629502).

Peter cringes as his siblings all return from school for the holidays. The by turns dull and determined look in his brother's eyes has grown familiar - disgust that he cannot put right all the ills he finds, and determination that one day he shall at least put right some of them, even here; Edmund gained something unshakable as he grew up and that has not been taken away - but his sisters. . .

Susan, who was ever quiet and controlled when she needed, and grew - in that other life - into even greater strength and hidden edges, she is uneasy and pained, but finding her footing once more, as she has always done with grace and unerring knowledge of herself. It is slow and it hurts to watch, but she is becoming herself once more, in a new shade. Lucy . . . Lucy who had never - and Peter hoped _would_ never - learned to quiet or dim herself for anything, returns now with sharp pain and tears she will not shed in her eyes, where Peter was used to seeing fire and the bright love she offered to all. Lucy was ever the most unbreakable of them all, and now that strength is bringing her near to breaking.


	4. Siege

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt [Narnia, Susan, _Here I stand, and here I'll stay_](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/139838.html?thread=5940286#cmt5940286).

Susan gripped her bow and narrowed her eyes, watching the reinforcements spill onto Narnian soil from the new ships - those that hadn't been crushed before coming close enough to make landfall.

"Your- Your Majesty, perhaps if you would come away, where it is safer-"

Susan turned her head and smiled gently at the flustered Squirrel. "No. I will stay here. _They_ ," she said sharply, eyes returning to those who thought to take the Cair while the main forces of the army - and the Kings - were away, "will run. Or they will die. We will hold!" she cried, her steadfast defiance echoed by her army all along the wall.


	5. Finding a Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt [Narnia, Lucy, justice for wolves](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/156816.html?thread=7131280#cmt7131280).

"Justice?" Susan questioned, and Edmund shrugged, expression twisting.

"We do keep getting demands that we . . . see to the issue of the wolves." he said carefully.

Lucy glanced over each of her siblings' expressions; Peter's frown, Susan's displeased, considering almost-pout, Edmund's pained thoughtfulness.

Lucy rose from her chair with a harsh jerk that nearly toppled it behind her. " _I'll_ see to their _justice_!" she declared, then strode out to find the alphas of the packs that had pledged to their crowns. The royals were always in need of more guards and scouts for their armies; the wolves would serve at least so well as the great cats in those positions.


	6. Mouthwatering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt [Any fandom, any character, much ado about mutton](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/156816.html?thread=7221648#cmt7221648).

"I'm not saying you _can't_ appreciate, ah, 'the mouthwatering magic of mutton'," Edmund said carefully, "only, perhaps, can you . . . not wax poetic about it quite so loudly, quite so near the Sheep?"

Sailyn sighed heavily, her sides heaving, and swished her tail once. "I suppose we can be more mindful of how far our voices carry. . ." she said slowly, and Edmund hurried to assure her that they appreciated the favour, and would never ask her pack to quiet their powerful voices if it weren't for the distress of their other subjects, which perked her ears again.


	7. Parting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt [Narnia, Susan, do you see me anymore?](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/157880.html?thread=7872440#cmt7872440)

They had always been close, and their years ruling together had only bound them closer - then they had become inseparable in confusion and heartbreak upon their return.

It hurts when Susan realises that as they walk forwards even Peter, who is as she is no more to return to their crowns, no longer . . . quite . . . looks her in the eye. She wants to scream, to take hold of them - any of them, all of them - and shake them, demand 'do you not _see_ me? am I not your sister?' but Susan is a collected, controlled girl, and a gracious, genteel queen, and her words are locked in her throat as her brothers and sister walk further and further from her . . . no matter how close they are.


	8. Narnia's Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt [Narnia, Narnia/Pevensies (or humans in general), _I'm in love with your daughters/I'm in love with your sons_](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/157880.html?thread=7880632#cmt7880632).

Under the harsh blanket of unnatural snow and ice the land feels a shiver; she thrills, suddenly. There, a tiny footstep - a Daughter of Eve, crunching through the witch's snow, exploring.

Narnia listens, and Narnia warms - not at the surface, not where Jadis' magic holds sway and keeps the winter bitter and unending, but deep within, at her heart - and Narnia falls in love as the small Daughter of Eve speaks in Narnia's air, and steps on Narnia's surface, and one day brings her siblings to Narnia, who has always thrived best with these creatures in her arms.


	9. Bridging the Gap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt [Narnia, Susan /& Edmund, _we don't see you around here anymore, it's okay/I will say your name out loud and you will be home_](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/157880.html?thread=7973816#cmt7973816).

Edmund cannot help but smile as he speaks of Narnia with his siblings; it keeps the memory and the love of their country - their home - alive, reminds them that it was true . . . although he misses one of his sisters, who has taken to- There she is, across the garden, walking by and not joining them, as she has not for months, slowly moving further and further away when they gather like this, a cold look on her face.

"Susan!" Edmund calls, and it hurts when his sister doesn't look at first; then it hurts more as she turns towards him and looks shocked. "Susan." Edmund repeats, glancing at their brother and sister - Peter and Lucy are not looking towards her, they have closed together even more, shutting out. . . Edmund frowns, rising and turning to Susan, holding out a hand.


	10. Reminders

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt [Narnia, Susan /& Edmund, _don't you know somebody someday will come and find you/if you don't know who you are anymore/they will remind you_](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/157880.html?thread=8136120#cmt8136120).

Susan closed her eyes hard and shook her head as the soft voice called her name again, as though whispered on the wind - as though, an old memory sparked, a call sung from the mouths of a score of dryads hopefully coaxing their queens to join them.

"No!" Susan shouted out to the sea far below, pained by the memory, by the-

A warm hand brushed her shoulder and she turned, eyes widening as she took in her brother - her brother as he had once been and never been, grown tall and strong and clad in satin and velvet. "Ed- Edmund. . ."

"Did you think we'd let you be forgotten, Sue?" Edmund asked softly, lifting his hand to her face, stroking softly, and Susan began to cry as she flung herself at him, no longer caring if he was a hallucination or not, missing him and missing her _home_ so much it felt half her heart was gone. "Even if you tried to forget, even if you let yourself become someone else," he whispered, tightening his embrace, "I've come to be sure you remember . . . and to bring you home, if you will it."


	11. Queen's Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt [Narnia, Susan, _I walk away to remember who I am_](https://rthstewart.dreamwidth.org/156816.html?thread=6734224#cmt6734224).

Susan clings, at first, to the memories of the once-was, the never-will, the world apart with every bit the heartbroken determination of her siblings. She, too, longs to return; she, too, does not fit here any longer and chafes at the restrictions placed on her, a Queen.

. . .then she feels herself slipping; the desire to return making her - all of them - petty, and small, and heartbroken, and Susan _refuses_ to let any pain master her and usurp the Queen's crown and Queen's heart she had _earned_ , and she stands tall and resolves to make _this_ world her own . . . even when she stands alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That marks the end of these! I'll reopen the collection to add any more written in future years' rounds of the ficathon.


End file.
